Hey guys! Hoping I can get some feedback on Emma' muzzle size. I feel like it is a good, secure fit, but I just worry that she needs more panting room. She won't need to wear it too often, just 30 minutes at a time if we're all hanging out in the living room, and for short walks (20 - 30 minutes).

It's a Baskerville size 4. Her nose length is 2.5-2.75, and the circumference was 11.5. So it fits, and she CAN breathe and pant.... but, my concern is that she might need to pant more/bigger, if that makes sense. Because...

This is a dog known for her giant tongue and big ol' mouth when she pants:

So here is the muzzle on her:

See it enables panting, but not the exaggerated pant I'm used to seeing from her. What about on a hot summer day, would this be a problem, or is it fine as long as she can pant some:

And this is video of her actually panting in it (I can't figure out how to embed it, you have to click on the picture and it'll take you to the video). She IS panting, but I feel like her natural pant would allow her mouth to open much wider, and her little cheeks puffing make her look like she is straining. Is this normal/okay, am I overreacting?

The size 5 is definitely too big though; too long and way too much room for her to get her paws in and get it off. So if this size 4 is not the right fit for her, then I'd need to find a different muzzle altogether I suppose.

If you desensitize the muzzle slowly and properly you shouldn't have to worry about her trying to paw it off. But also, the head strap+proper tightness, and sticking a collar through the little collar loop should prevent that.

If you desensitize the muzzle slowly and properly you shouldn't have to worry about her trying to paw it off. But also, the head strap+proper tightness, and sticking a collar through the little collar loop should prevent that.

Thank you so much for the feedback, Celeste! Your pictures totally helped, thank you. I tried the size 5 tonight and I feel better about it. She does still try to get her paw in it every once in a while (I have desensitized the heck out of her with the muzzle, and she still gets fussy with it. It was a LONG time before I even got it on her, much less buckled it, much less put it on altogether. Several weeks of just peanut butter in it, feeding kibble in it, etc etc. Her behaviorist worked on it with me initially too, as far as just introducing it to her. It was a couple months before I finally got it on and buckled, but I CAN get it on her now and she is pretty good with it... but once in a while as we're walking, she'll paw at it). But, you are right... looping the collar through it works great (somehow I missed that feature when putting the size 4 on her!).

It still seems kinda big to me, but with her collar attached and the head strap on, I think this is as good as we're going to get. She can fully pant now, which confirms how small the 4 really was on her.

Here she is rockin the size 5:

Now I just have to deal with my boyfriend's mortification over it! He thinks I'm just adding to the bad image of the breed and we shouldn't walk her in public. But I can't drive her an hour every day to an isolated logging road, sometimes we have to walk where, gasp, we'll see other people every now and then. It is what it is.

And yeah, I sort of understand the whole image thing, but I don't think it's worth risking the other possibilities. An aggressive incident with contact is a far worse image than a simple muzzle.

Does she have any really fun behaviors that she likes to do? With Dakota and getting him used to the muzzle, I'd put it on (along with all the desensitizing) and start doing heeling, rewarding very frequently. And that helped him get over the desire to paw.

And yeah, I sort of understand the whole image thing, but I don't think it's worth risking the other possibilities. An aggressive incident with contact is a far worse image than a simple muzzle.

Does she have any really fun behaviors that she likes to do? With Dakota and getting him used to the muzzle, I'd put it on (along with all the desensitizing) and start doing heeling, rewarding very frequently. And that helped him get over the desire to paw.

Yes, that's a good idea. I wish Emma were more playful, she's so mellow it's hard to get her excited about things. But she likes her treats, so I often distract her with "Watch Me" and then she gets a treat. I'll have to add some more fun things in the mix to keep her engaged and not so focused on the muzzle.

Basically small enough where he still can drink water. I chose the wire basket for him. I can't remember exactly if I got the pit bull or the boxer basket after I spoke with a Leerburg rep and gave her the dimensions.

Yes, it does give our dog's the Hannibal impression, but "an ounce of prevention is better than being in the pound"

Baskerville now makes it in a light blue, so I got that one. Works great and Emma is totally conditioned to it now! A couple weeks of putting it on slowly and for a minute or two at a time, and she's oblivious to it now... Yay! I wish they made it in pink, but the light blue is still less Hannibal-y than black .

Some kids pointed to her on our walk the other day and asked their mom "What happened to that dog?" I told them that she has bad allergies and this keeps her from eating things that will make her sick (like small children! JK!) . So I now call it her allergy mask... Sounds much better than a muzzle!